The Difference between Love and Like
by Coffee Kitty Hazel Holmes
Summary: Things like love you don't choose, it just happens. Things like "like" you also don't choose, but it's not the same as love. You can hide like, but love is always there. That's what Leo has to deal with because when it comes to the daughter of death, he can hardly stop himself from telling her everything he loves about her, and more. One shot, only a tad poetry at the end. Lezel!
1. Leo POV

Leo POV

I have liked a bunch of girls, in fact, there was a huge list. Like, I like Piper because she's cute and I know her very well, but I don't love her. Or Thalia, she's cute, just my type, but I don't have _those_ feelings for her. Or Reyna, she's tough with black hair, but what else do I feel? Nothing. There are more girls, but I don't love any of them, there is only one girl that I really love.

I can't hide my feelings, they are always there. Every time I look at her, my heart beats faster and my whole world turns upside down. Her laugh overwhelms me with happiness, her eyes gleam just the right way. I hate the fact that she's taken, I would treat her better! I also really hate the guy, even though we'd probably be friends if he wasn't with her.

She has tried to make me not like her, to convince me that she's not right for me, but I just can't stop these feeling from escaping. I can barely hold them in any longer! They are just so real, just so there in front of me. Her name is now officially my favorite, it's just so pretty, it suits her perfectly.

After all the things she's done to try and turn me away, I try to stop my feelings, but they never go. She has even brought me into her memory and we proved that she was with my...well...great grandpa. But I still really, really love her.

I tried to feel that way about other girls, but I only semi-like them at most.

I'm trying to sleep right now. The ship is fine, I feel tired, but I just can't get to sleep. Knowing that she will never even _like_ me keeps me awake. I haven't been able to sleep for weeks. Even mumbling her name makes my heart skip a beat. I have never felt this way. I don't even think my tools can compare to her. I sigh, knowing that I won't get a wink of sleep, and walk to the dining hall.

I drink a cup of coffee and a bowl of soup.

"Hazel" I whisper sadly. My back is turned and I haven't heard footsteps behind me, but all of a sudden I hear behind me a small "yes?"

I jump straight out of my seat and onto the floor.

"Oh, sorry Leo, I thought you were talking to me" Hazel says.

"I-I-I...Ah...I..." I say turning to face her.

"What's wrong?" Hazel asks. A few seconds later she asks, "and why did you say my name if you didn't know I was here?"

I don't know what to say, so I lie. "I had a dream that you died."

"Oh" Hazel says. "Can I sit?"

"Sure" I say. I get up and sit back down.

Hazel sits down across from me and yawns.

"Did you have a good sleep?" I ask, not really knowing what to say.

"Not really, more nightmares" Hazel says.

"I'm sorry" I say.

"Not your fault" Hazel says. She smiles, "I see you got some coffee."

"Yep, want some?" I ask.

"Sure" Hazel says.

I go get her a cup – two creams, two sugars, just the way she likes it.

She sips her coffee, her hands holding the cup to keep them warm. I can see how cold she looks, so I walk to the heater and turn it up.

"Thanks" Hazel says.

"No problem" I say. "What did you dream about?"

"Gaea, people dying, my past" Hazel says. "A bunch of things."

I feel a rush of dread. Hazel's past is so scary - her mom being possessed, Hazel giving up her life to stop Gaea. Really Hazel is the biggest hero on the whole ship - sorry Jason, sorry Percy, Hazel gave up her life and saved the world. If that's not a true hero, I don't know what is.

Hazel slouches and shuts her eyes.

"You look tired" I say.

"I am" Hazel says.

"Me too" I say.

"I can tell, your eyes look like they almost say 'I haven't slept in weeks'" Hazel says.

"Well, I haven't" I say. Than I regret it, because the reason is Hazel and I can't tell her that.

"Why?" Hazel asks.

"Ah...Gaea I guess" I say.

Hazel nods. Hazel rests her forehead in her hand.

"I wish we could just have a break. When I died I had to save the world; I just got back from a quest that helped save the world, and now I'm going on a quest to yet again, to save the world" Hazel sighs.

"To much pressure, right?" I ask.

"Yeah" Hazel says.

"I'm sorry" I say.

"It's not your fault" Hazel says.

"I wish I could help, though" I say.

"I think you can...can you give me a hug, the dream made me a little shaky" Hazel says.

I nod and walk to her, and I wrap my arm around her. She puts her head on my shoulder and holds me tight. I feel overjoyed. My feelings rush out of me as I hold her, trying to make every second happy, for her. I hold her tight, let whatever feelings I have come out of me.

"Did you know I love your eyes?" I ask.

"Thank you, I love yours, they always remind me of coffee. I really like coffee" Hazel says.

"Your eyes remind me of a sunset" I say.

"Thanks" Hazel says. "I like sunsets."

"I think everyone does" I say.

"Yeah, except when it means I have to sleep...and dream" Hazel says.

She lets me go.

I can't help but smile at her, and she mirrors my gaze. Her long hair is even puffier today - it always seems to make my heart skip a beat, and I never even knew I liked puffy hair until I met her. Her amber eyes sparkle. Her black skin shines. Her smile radiates happiness. Her eyebrows curve in a particular way when she smiles, it's like they were made to just drive me happily insane. Her nose crinkles up in a pretty way when she laughs. She just looks so beautiful, no one in the world, not even Aphrodite herself, can compare to this particular daughter of Pluto.

There are so many things I want to tell her. I get reminded of them every time I feel like kissing her (which happens a lot).

Why does she have to be with Frank? Why can't she be with me? Why can't she love me like I love her? I wish Frank wasn't here, but would she like me then? Probably not, I'm not very nice looking, and I'm not very social. I bet she doesn't even have any feelings for me what so ever. My heart sinks and I feel miserable.

"You know, I really like coffee, I just realized that now" Hazel says.

"Just now?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no, I've always liked coffee. It makes me more hyper than I already am" Hazel says, which is saying something because Hazel is almost as hyper as me!

"I like it too" I say, still on the subject of coffee.

She laughs. I love how she snorts a little bit; it always brings a smile to my face.

I hear Hedge start singing a war song in the other room.

"Care to dance?" I ask in an accent, taking my chances, and asking her as a friend.

"But of course" Hazel says in another accent.

I take her hand and we waltz around the room. I'm not a pro, but I know what I'm doing. I used to watch my mom dance when she had a party. Sometimes she did other dances, but I picked up waltzing the best. Hazel dances very well; it's like she was born to dance.

Near the end of the song, I pull her into a dip.

She looks at me making direct eye contact, and puts her hand on my cheek.

A rush of life sweeps through me and I lift her up, spinning her around.

Hazel laughs with joy. It's kind of funny, since we are dancing too a gross, creepy, kind of violent war song. But neither of us really cares, because we are both very happy.

"Oh, this is nice" Hazel says as I set her down.

"Yeah" I say, grinning.

I let my feelings control me, and before I can even think, I kiss her cheek.

She doesn't move away, she stands there.

I break away fast and slap myself in the face.

"Stupid, Leo" I mumble.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! _I think to myself.

"What's wrong?" Hazel asks.

"I'm sorry" I say.

"For what?" Hazel asks.

"For...you know" I say.

"Kissing my cheek? I don't mind, I was actually kind of happy that you...did that" Hazel says.

"B-but, I thought you were with Frank" I say.

"Yeah..." Hazel looks down. She looks sad. "I need to go."

Hazel runs away, probably into her cabin.

I run after her. I think this is my only shot if I ever want to be with her.

"Hazel" I say. "Where are you going?"

She turns to meet my eyes. "Leo, there is a difference between love and like. I like Frank, but I don't love him like I love...well...you."

"Me?" I ask, completely shocked. She loves me? I could never have imagined this in one hundred years; I never thought any person would love me, let alone Hazel.

Hazel nods. "Yes Leo, I think I love you."

"Hazel" I say, I give her a hug. "I love you more than anything in the world!"

Hazel blinks at me surprised yet delighted. "You do?"

"YES!" I say.

She kisses me, and my whole world turns around. I never thought anything could be this perfect, and here I am proven so, so wrong. I love Hazel more than I even thought - I hope she knows it.

"Leo Valdez, I have never loved anyone this much before, you are the first person I have ever really loved" Hazel says.

"I have never loved anyone either and it might take me a few hours to explain it, so I'm going to start with your eyes. You have the cutest eyes I've ever seen..." Hazel breaks in.

"I like your eyes too. But...let's kiss again. I need to know if this is real or not, if I'm still dreaming"

"Oh no, you are **_so_** not dreaming" I say.

We press our lips together, and I finally feel complete.

_"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove" ~ William Shakespeare_

The end!

**AN. hello everybody! I wrote this in one hour or so, so I'm sorry if it's not very good. The people who reviewed my one story "My Heart Pounds" all liked my story (YAY! Happiness!) Some of them asked me to write more in the future. Well, here is one! If you like this one, please check out my one Lezel "Lezel One Shots" and please review! I love reviews and barely anyone reviews my stories...So please tell me what you think! I'm also going to put up another chapter of the same scene but from Hazel POV, what do you think? Tell me ****_please_****!**

**Coffee.**


	2. Hazel POV

**AN. Okay, Hazel POV! Sorry they were so OOC in the last chapter but I'm trying, they're more in character in this chapter. But that was just how ****_I_****_saw them_****, so sorry if they were OOC to you, it's just how I see 'em!**

I toss and turn in my sleep, dreaming of Gaea killing my mother and me. Death was so miserable, so sad – in the dream I was never going to come back. I wake up just as the Alaskan island explodes, and I breathe in and out, trying to catch my breath. Tears start to fall. I feel so depressed having to relive that moment.

The only person that even partly knows what I'm going through is Nico. When he left the Casino he was introduced to a whole new world that he had to adjust as well. But he still doesn't know what it's like to die. Cold, like your falling. Painful, dark, unforgiving.

People think I'm stronger than I actually am. But I cry almost every time I remember the Underworld.

I want someone to wrap their arms around me. Well, really I only want one particular boy to wrap his arms around me, and it isn't Frank. Oh my gods, I really wish I wanted it to be Frank, I want to love him, but I can't. It makes me fell incredibly guilty, but I can't shake my feelings for another boy. It's not because he looks like Sammy either, although that's eerie, it's because I love him for who he is. I feel so selfish because I love him, but I never even chose it, I didn't have a choice. One day I was talking to him, and it hit me. I was laughing at one of his jokes, and someone said something about love, and I realized then that I love him; I really, really do!

I just want to be with him so badly, for him to kiss me. But I've seen the way he looks at Piper, he seems amazed by every word she says, and it makes my heart split in two.

I just need him to care, I need someone to talk to, and I need someone I love.

My feelings confuse me; I used to really like Frank, but it's more like he's my best friend, my big brother, and that makes me feel so selfish and evil.

But I feel I deserve at least a _bit_ of love, don't I? Everything is gone that I love except for him, I just wish he'd love me back.

After a few minutes, I realize I won't be able to sleep so I pull on slippers, just to make sure I don't wake anyone up, and head to the bathroom. I don't actually need anything from the bathroom, I don't need to use the toilet or wash my hands, but I do need to calm down.

I turn on the light and look in the mirror. My eyes are puffy from crying and my hair is even huger than usual. I sigh and wash my face. I sit there until my eyes have cleared up and make my way to the dining hall.

My heart does a summersault when I see a big whack of curly black hair turned in the direction opposite of me.

He must have seen me because he whispers my name.

"Yes?" I ask, quietly.

He jumps straight into the air and onto the floor. He turns toward me.

"Sorry Leo, I thought you were talking to me" I say. I feel puzzled, why would he say my name if he didn't know I was here?

"I-I-I...Ah...I..." Leo says, looking at me almost terrified.

"What's wrong?" I ask. After a few seconds I finally ask "And why did you say my name if you didn't know I was here?"

"I had a dream you died" Leo says. He does not, however, sound very convincing.

"Oh" I say. "Can I sit?"

"Sure" Leo says, as he sits back into his seat.

I sit down across from him, hoping we might be able to talk. I yawn.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Leo asks. I feel sadness rush through me, and for a second I think he did that on purpose, then I realize he is just making small talk.

"Not really, more nightmares" I say truthfully.

"I'm sorry" Leo says.

"Not your fault" I say. I look down at the cup he holds in his hand, with steam rising fragrantly from it. I smile and say, "I see you got some coffee."

"Yep, want some?" Leo asks.

"Sure" I say. As I'm about to get up, he goes and does it for me. He hands it to me.

I take a sip; I taste two sugars and two creams, my favorite! I smile.

"Thanks" I say.

"No problem" Leo says. "What did you dream about?"

Misery rushes through me and I bite my cheek, hard. I know he must be doing this to hurt me. He knows I hate talking about my dreams, but I still answer. "Gaea, people dying, my past...A bunch of stuff."

Leo shivers.

I start to slouch and shut my eyes.

"You look tired" Leo says.

"I am" I say.

"Me too" Leo says.

"I can tell, your eyes look like they almost say 'I haven't slept in weeks'" I say. His eyes look bloodshot and worn out.

"Well, I haven't" Leo says. His eyes widen like he thinks he might have said something wrong.

"Why?" I ask.

"Ah...Gaea I guess" Leo says. Now I can tell he's lying.

I nod anyway. I rest my head in a comfortable position

"I wish we could just have a break. When I died, I had to save the world; I just got back from a quest that helped save the world, and now I'm going on a quest yet again, to save the world" I say. Because, I thought, I have saved the world a lot and no one even thanks me. I just want to have something I care about, and take a break; don't I deserve at least _that_?

"Too much pressure, right?" Leo asks.

"Yeah" I say. Leo always seems to understand.

"I'm sorry" Leo says.

"It's not your fault" I say, looking up.

"I wish I could help, though" Leo says.

He can, but I bet he won't. I want him to do something I wanted him to do since the second I met him. "I think you can...can you give me a hug, the dream made me a little shaky" I say.

He nods and grins, walking to me, and puts his arms around me. I hold him tight, maybe too tight, but he is also holding me like that. I snuggle my nose in his shoulder, letting every emotion out, and finally feeling happy. He is very warm. He seems to be feeling happy as well. I know that I'm happy. I just let him hold me, and I let myself feel whatever I need to feel. Hurt, sadness, betrayed, happy, and confident, also in love...

"Did you know I love your eyes?" Leo asks. I smile.

"Thank you, I love yours, they always remind me of coffee. I really like coffee" I say. Yeah, I really love coffee, I get so much energy, I love being hyper.

"Your eyes remind me of a sunset" Leo says. My stomach twirls at the complement. He is so sweet!

"Thanks" I say. "I like sunsets."

"I think everyone does" Leo says.

"Yeah, except when it means I have to sleep...and dream" I say, unhappily.

I let him go, and just smile at him, and blush when I realize that he is looking at me too.

I think he is actually kind of cute. His black hair is so nice, and for some weird reason clean and always smells nice. I wouldn't guess it since he spends so much time in the engine room doing gods knows what – especially since his hands always have a little bit of engine grime on them, no matter how much he washes up after working. His eyes always seem happy, even though I know he's depressed. His elfish smile is just so kind, and inviting. His ears are a little pointy, I think makes him look unique in a good way. His lips seem to circle at the ends, like he's always on the verge of smiling. He is just so nice, and I always feel happy whenever he talks - from when he's cracking a bad joke to when he's complementing someone. I like who he is on the inside and the outside; in both ways Narcissus could never compare.

I feel an urge to kiss him, but he'd probably give me a look and that'd be the end of a friendship that I really, really want to keep.

I wish he was mine, I wish he liked me; I wish I wasn't with Frank. I used to really like Frank, I still do like him kind of, but I _don't_ love him. I've tried so hard to love him, but I love Leo, and I can't stop these feelings.

"You know, I really like coffee, I just realized that now" I say after a very long pause. I'm good with talking about coffee since I love it.

"Just now?" Leo asks, raising an eyebrow at me. My heart beats faster, that look...

"Well, no, I've always liked coffee. It makes me more hyper than I already am" I say.

"I like it too" Leo says.

I laugh. Leo smiles.

Coach Hedge starts singing a scary war song a few doors down.

"Care to dance?" Leo asks, in a ridiculous accent that I don't even know. I know that he's asking in just a friendly way, but I still get tingles in my stomach.

"But of course" I say, trying to copy his accent, but sadly not succeeding.

He takes my hand, and we start to waltz. Thank the gods it's waltzing, that's the only dance I know. We learned it in school, back in my original time. To my surprise, Leo dances amazingly. It's only surprising because Leo doesn't seem like a person who'd dance at all, with all the work he puts into making the ship and such. But no, he dances beautifully, like the dance was personally his.

Nearing the end of Hedge's extremely violent song, Leo dips me.

I make eye contact with him, and before I can think, I put my hand on his cheek.

He looks incredibly alive as he lifts me into the air, spinning me around.

I laugh with happiness, everything is so perfect.

"Oh, this is nice" I say, as he puts me down on the ground.

"Yeah" Leo says, smiling.

He stares at me for a few seconds before he kisses my cheek. Oh my gods! He kissed me! He kissed me!

I don't dare move, I want too savor this moment.

To my disappointment, Leo breaks away fast, slapping himself in the face

"Stupid, Leo" he whispers. I don't know what to do; I don't know what is going on.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I'm sorry" Leo says.

"For what?" I ask, even though I know the answer.

"For...you know" Leo says.

"Kissing my cheek? I don't mind, I was actually kind of happy that you...did that" I say. The happiness I felt when he kissed my cheek was overwhelmingly nice, so perfect, like I could do anything.

"B-but, I thought you were with Frank" Leo says. Oh no, what am I doing, trying to be with him? Poor Frank!

"Yeah..." I say. "I need to go."

I run, making my way for the deck.

I hear Leo running after me. I don't stop though, everything is so confusing!

"Hazel" Leo says. "Where are you going?"

I turn, feeling miserable, but meeting his eye. "Leo, there is a difference between love and like. I like Frank, but I don't love him like I love...well...you."

"Me?" Leo asks. He sounds shocked, like he wasn't expecting it. I wonder how you could not have noticed it, I try not to make it obvious but I know it is.

I nod. "Yes Leo, I think I love you."

"Hazel" Leo says, throwing his arms around me. I feel so amazing, his arms feel perfect. "I love you more than anything in the world!"

I blink at him. I can't believe it! He loves _me_? I am so happy, I can barely think straight. "You do?"

"YES!" Leo says.

I kiss him. I feel like this is real, I feel like he might actually love me!

"Leo Valdez, I have never loved anyone this much before, you are the first person I have ever really loved" I say.

"I have never loved anyone either and it might take me a few hours to explain it, so I'm going to start with your eyes. You have the cutest eyes I've ever seen..." I break in. It's so nice, and amazingly sweet what he's saying, but I need to know that this is real. I need to know if I'm still dreaming.

"I like your eyes too. But...let's kiss again. I need to know if this is real or not, if I'm still dreaming."

"Oh no, you are **_so_** not dreaming" Leo says. The grin on my face is bigger than I wanted, but I don't even care. Leo loves me, and I love him. And for now, that's all that matters.

We press our lips together, and I finally feel complete.

_"__Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove__" ~ William Shakespeare_

The end!

**AN. So, review please! I wanted to write a story where Hazel was very much in love with Leo, so I finally got around to it! Sadly, I think this one is over, I had so much fun writing it, but I will write more Lezel fics in the future! All you readers out there, please stay with me and tell me what you think, I want to know if I'm any good or not. I like writing Lezel's because they help me on off days, so I'm sorry if this isn't good, but I actually like it. Stay tuned for an extremely short bonus chapter! :D**

**Coffee.**


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